Here's a two-minute slideshow made up of some of the photos I took in and around the Musée national de Préhistoire when I went to the Dordogne département in SW France (May 1, 2006). As you probably know, the famous Lascaux cave is just a few miles north in the town of Montignac. There are several other caverns with prehistoric wall paintings and carvings in the area, which is the Vézère river valley near the town of Sarlat.
The pre-history museum was founded in 1918.
Great slide show. I would so love to visit the area and see the museum and caves.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Google Maps, it takes about 15 hours to drive from where you live up to the Sarlat area.
DeleteSo a day trip!
DeleteTalking about caves, Mitchell, there are the famous Altamira Caves in Spain, much closer to you!
DeleteOn the April trip we didn't go inside the museum but saw that statue up on a hill. We didn't go to Lascaux but did visit a private cave with some nice drawings. This is an especially nice slide show.
ReplyDeleteWe went to see a cave with prehistoric wall paintings called Pech Merle in 1995. It was pretty impressive.
DeleteImpressive museum. I had no idea there were so many caves. In the past, I thought there was just the one, i.e. Lascaux.
ReplyDeleteNice slideshow. When we stayed in Sarlat for a week we went to the caves at Font de Gaume. Fantastic!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great set of photos. Thanks for this, Ken!
ReplyDeleteExcellent sideshow. it gives a very good idea of what's in ithe Museum and what's around. Lovely.
ReplyDeleteSuch nice memories you're providing for one of our best trips. We visited this museum, Pech Merle, the Lascaux copy, and another cave where we were allowed to join a school field trip.
ReplyDeleteWe've visited Pech'Merle several times. Its paintings are a bit older than those at Lascaux. We've also visited the very recent replica of Chauvet. The Chauvet cave predates Pech'Merle. They are all fascinating. I guess I like Pech'Merle most because it's not a replica -- and it's got the spotted horse and a fish and a really cool marble run (perfectly round stones on a flat rimmed surface). We've also been to Cugnac, much smaller and intimate.
ReplyDeleteIn the Verdon canyon, there are Neanderthal caves -- habitations, not ceremonial, like the later Cro-Magnon ones. And there is a very modern prehistory museum.